Murine monoclonal antibodies in breast cancer: an overview.

Monoclonal antibody technology has been an important development in breast cancer research. Monoclonal antibodies do not detect 'breast cancer specific' antigens but, rather, they react with normal or modified tissue antigens which are either preferentially or inappropriately expressed upon malignant cells. Thus far a number of monoclonal antibodies that have a preferential reaction with breast cancer tissue have been developed. They have a potential value in immunohistopathology as diagnostic tools and in the recognition of small quantities of malignant cells, in the development of serum assay for tumour markers in breast cancer and in the radio-immunodetection of metastases. There has been success in effecting selective targeting of anticancer agents (cytotoxic drugs, toxins, radionuclides) to tumour deposits and encouraging results are obtained in preclinical in vivo studies. Various clinical studies are now in progress to evaluate the role of monoclonal antibodies in the management of breast cancer.